Sabiano (sah-bee-ano)

Sabiano is a pinto that obviously displays characteristics of both the tobiano and sabino genes and has the ability to

pass either or both genes to any of its offspring.

The white of the sabino gene, spreading from the lower body upwards covers the more traditional "patch" type

markings of the tobiano creating a pinto with extensive white in the sabiano pinto.

Facial markings are much wilder and tend to have larger blazes as well as lower face and jowl markings.

Sabianos frequently resemble the medicine hat type of markings.

To consistently breed sabiano pintos, using homozygous tobianos and maximum white sabinos will result in

each parent passing one of each patterns to the offspring resulting in a sabiano every time.

The use of one homozygous patterned horse and one heterozygous patterned horse will result in 100% color of the

offspring but only a 50% chance that both patterns will be present. If both parents are heterozygous for their

respective patterns then the chances decrease to 25%, but with sabino being dependant on color concentration

(the amount of white on the sabino) and thought to be plygenic, the overall white concentration on the offspring vary

greatly.  The addition of white modifiers such as Rabicano ticking, rount and typical markings may effect the color concentration further.

You do not create a sabinao by blending the two pinto patterns together, and it is not passed on to offspring as a single gene so breeders must be vigilant in

record keeping to understand where the patterns originate from, and the best crosses to continue producing the colorful sabiano.

Definitions of terms

Dominant - alleles with same effect on the phenotype whether it is present in heterozygous or homozygous form

Recessive- alleles which only have effect on phenotype is present in homozygous form

Genes     - Chemicals which are arranged in a particular pattern in the DNA which make up the chromosomes

Genetic   - an heritable factor that controls a specific characteristic

Homozygousity       - being homozygous for a specific gene

Homozygous   - having two genes for a specific characteristic

Heterozygous  - having one genes for a specific characteristic. 

Polygenic       - more than just one gene controlling expression